Komatsu dozers

Hi
I am new to dozers, don't know a thing about them but I am considering buying a small Komatsu dozer model D20 or D21 to do some light clearing and grading work on my property.
First question; How can I determine if the machine I am looking at is a grey market machine?
Are parts and service manuals readily available for these machines?
Are they good solid machines or do they need to be fixed & repaired daily?
I will appreciate any advice I can get.
Thanks
pintodirt

Re: Komatsu dozers

They are good solid machines, but there previous care determines if they need to be fixed & repaired daily? I think I have some parts books & I think a service manual is probably available. If it has Japanese writing it is probably a grey model. Parts should be too hard to get. If not in the US, I can get them for you from Japan.

Re: Komatsu dozers

I had a D20 for a couple of years. If I remember correctly all D20s were grey market because Komatsu did not sell that size dozer in the U.S. with the non shuttle transmission which the D20 has. I used mine for 2 years and sold it for $250 less than I gave for it. To me that was a good deal. Mine had the 6 way blade.

Re: Komatsu dozers

I have a D20A-6 it's "Gray Market" the only difference being Japanese writing above the starter switch and the maintenance schedule printed behind the hydraulic filter access door. Parts for this dozer are stocked in the US and are readily available from most all US Komatsu dealers, some independents and eBay. Manuals are out of print, but reproductions can be found / purchased on the net (google it) . It's a good little machine, use it or loose it - meaning these dozer's don't like to sit idle for months at a time not being used. The steering breaks and the clutches are dry, and tend to get sticky (rusty?) over time. If for some reason I don't have a need to use the dozer, I start it up and drive it around for about 1/2 hour once every two weeks just to keep it charged and all the parts working freely. I did a bunch of routine maintenance after I bought it, rebuilt two leaking hydraulic cylinders, replaced 12 track rollers, and did some mods to personalize it. Before you buy drive it around, for at least a 1/2 hour to get a feel for it, bury the blade into the ground, making sure both tracks dig in and continue turning at the same rate (this checks the steering clutches for tension and wear. Check the rear drive sprockets, it they are pointed they are worn past their limit, if the tips have flat spots then they are probably OK. Look at the track rollers are they evenly worn? are the track roller guide edges rubbing against the track links? if so the rollers are worn past the limit. Check the track links, are they round? or oblong? Round is good flat spots or oblong is bad. Check the idler sprocket (on the front) for wear, and the track rails, how much space is left before the track rail guide reaches the end of the front rail? Do the tracks sag? if grease is added to the tension cylinders do the tracks keep their tension?
How do the track shoes look?

I still have it, use it and love it, for a small dozer it's the affordable ticket to a crawler.

Larry

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